Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) reveals the most peaceful countries in the world. Despite living in the most peaceful century in human history, the world has become less peaceful over the last decade.

CAPITAL MARKETS | ISLAMIC FINANCE
To diversify its sources of financing, Goldman Sachs plans to issue a benchmark Islamic bond, at a time when demand for sukuk is outrunning supply. Meanwhile, South Africa is planning its first sovereign sukuk, and the Egyptian government is working on a new sukuk law, following the military’s overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year.

MIDDLE EAST 2014 SUPPLEMENT By Gordon Platt Islamic finance is going mainstream, with Western countries planning to issue their first sovereign sukuk. It still constitutes only a small percentage of total global financial assets, and most activity is ...

MILESTONES By Gilly Wright By awarding HSBC and Linklaters as external advisers, the UK government is a little closer to its widely anticipated issue of a sovereign sukuk, or Islamic bond. Last October in London during the World Islamic Economic ...

SPECIAL REPORT By Andrew Cunningham Al Rajhi tops the rankings of Safest Islamic Banks in the GCC. The use of Islamic finance arouses strong emotions. For its supporters, it offers an ethical way of conducting financial transactions that is far ...

SPECIAL REPORT: ISLAMIC TRADE FINANCE By Anita Hawser Islamic trade finance is of increasing interest, but whether it will be successful depends on market forces. “Shariah-compliant trade finance is an ancient tradition with a long history of supporting economic activity ...

REGIONAL SUPERSECTION — STEPPING UP THE COMPETITION By Gordon Platt Does the Gulf Cooperation Council need yet another international financial center? Oil-rich Abu Dhabi thinks it does. The United Arab Emirates is about to open its second ...

REGIONAL SUPERSECTION The six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE—have a common need to adjust to a changing global oil market as a result of the surge in US oil ...